$JES 202 Jain Story Book Level 2 Book

SR No.: 000121
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee
Publication Year: 2005
Total Pages: 160
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Jaina_Education, 0_Jaina_education, & JAINA Books
File Size: 22 MB

Page 39

GANADHAR GAUTAM-SWÄMI
06-Gandhar Gautam-swimi
In 607 BCE, in a village named Gobar in the state of Magadha, lived a Brahmin couple named Vasubhuti and Prithvi Gautam. They had three sons: Indrabhuti, Agnibhuti and Väyubhuti. All three sons were well versed in the Hindu scriptures (Vedas) and were experts in the performance of Hindu rituals. They were great scholars at an early age, and each one of them had 500 disciples.
Somil's Yajna
Once, in the nearby city of Apäpä, a brahmin named Somil organized a yajna (sacrificial ceremony). About 4,400 brahmins gathered for the occasion. Out of the eleven most popular scholars, Indrabhuti Gautam stood out as the head priest conducting the ceremony.
Indrabhuti Gautam at Somil's yajna
The whole town was excited by this event in which they planned to sacrifice sheep and goats. As Indrabhuti was about to begin his ritual, they noticed many celestial beings descending from heaven towards the sacrificial site. Thinking that this would make the sacrificial ceremony the most famous in history, Indrabhuti inwardly rejoiced, telling the people, "Look at the sky. Even the celestial beings are descending from heaven to bless us." Everyone eagerly looked up at the sky and awaited their arrival.
To everyone's surprise, the celestial beings did not stop at their site. Instead, they continued past the site and headed towards the nearby Mahäsen forest. Indrabhuti soon learned that the celestial beings were not coming for the yajna, but were going to pay homage to Bhagawan Mahavir, who had just attained Keval-jnän and was about to deliver his first sermon in the language of Ardha Mägadhi or Präkrit.
Indrabhuti was furious that the celestial beings would not pay their respects to his sacrificial rite. He angrily thought to himself, "Who is this Mahävir? He does not even use the rich Sanskrit language to deliver his sermon, but speaks the common people's language of Ardha Mägadhi." He decided to debate with Mahavir in order to prove to the
JAIN STORY Book
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